This invention relates to an apparatus for introducing slivers to a drawing frame in a spinning preparation plant. The drawing frame pulls the slivers from individual coiler cans positioned in sliver removal emplacements, while the slivers are guided on support rollers to the drawing frame. The apparatus includes a can guiding system which has pusher arms mounted on an endless conveyor chain. Each arm engages a coiler can and advances the same in a predetermined direction.
In a known apparatus such as a drawing frame intake rack there is provided a channel which ensures space for a row of passing coiler cans and a full standby can which are advanced in a direction opposite to the direction of sliver run from the cans. Through an inlet which adjoins the location of the full standby can, further standby cans may be presented from a standby channel to that end of the can row which is oriented towards the drawing frame. Through an outlet which adjoins the can with the least sliver content, the empty can is added from the channel to that can row end which is remote from the drawing frame. The cans are advanced by the can guiding system intermittently or continuously until they arrive at the end of the channel. The fill level of the cans decreases stepwise from the channel inlet to the channel outlet. The supply of full cans occurs on the same side of the channel where the cans to be depleted are located. It is a disadvantage of such an arrangement that the spatial requirements are high and it is a further drawback that a simultaneous supply and removal of a plurality of cans or all the full end empty cans is not possible. It is furthermore not feasible to effect an exchange of all coiler cans (a so-called block exchange) on one side of the conveyor chain. It is yet another disadvantage of the prior art constructions that only a single empty can is present which is pushed out of the channel and only a single full can is present which is introduced into the channel. Also, only one longitudinal side of the chain is utilized for the coiler can conveyance.